William hawker



(No Model.)

W. HAWKER. REGULATOR FOR INGANDESGENT ELECTRIC LAMPS.

Patented Dec. 1, 1896 INVENTOI? 0% 96m ATTORNEYS.

THE Norms PETERS ca, PHOTD-UTHQ, vusmumow a c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM IIAlVKER, OF MONTREAL, CANADA.

REGULATOR FOR INCANDESCENT ELECTRIC LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 572,421, dated December 1, 1896.

Application filed MayZQ, 1896. Serial No. 593,553. (No model.)

To all whom it nuty concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HAWKER, of Point St. Charles, Montreal, in the Province of Quebec and Dominion of Canada, have invented new and useful Improvements in Regulators for Currents of Incandescent Electric Lamps and other Devices, of which the fol-- lowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to devices for regulating the amount of current flowing through an incandescent electric lamp or other electrical device, whereby the light may be made more or less intense, thus making the device of value in sick-rooms or hospitals or in other places where it may be desired to turn down the light the same as may be done with a gaslight without entirely extinguishing the same.

I will describe a regulator embodying my invention and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a regulator embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section. Fig. 4 is an elevation of a sliding contact-block, and Fig; 5 is an end view thereof.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a suitable base of insulating material having transverse uprights 2 3, which support pairs of resistance-coils, one pair differing in resistance from the other pairs. I have here shown a pair of resistance-coils 4 5, a pair of resistance-coils 6 7, and a pair of resistancecoils 8 9. At one end of the base 1 are secured conductor-plates 1O 11, which have connection with the main or line wires 12 13. Fromthe plate a wire 14 connects with the coil 4, a wire 15 connects with the coil 6, and a wire 16 connects with the coil 8. From the plate 11 a wire 1'7 extends to the coil 5, a wire 18 extends to the coil 7, and a wire 19 extends to the coil 9. From the plate 10 an ordinary lead-wire 20 extends to a contactplate 21 at the forward end of the base, and from the plate 11 an ordinary lead-wire 22 extends to a contact-plate 23 at said end of the base.

Arranged in line with the contact-plates 21 are contact-plates 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and'29, the plate 24 being in engagement with the resistance-coil 4, the plate .25 in engagement with the resistance-coil 6, the plate 26 in connection with the coil 8, the plate 27 in connection with the coil 5, the plate 28 in con nection with the coil 7, and the plate 29 in connection with the coil 9. Forward of the several plates are two long contact-plates 30 and 31, with which connect the wires leading to a lamp.

Adapted to engage with the two plates 30 and 31 and with pairs of the plates connecting with the resistance-coils is an insulatingblock 32. The body portion of this block is provided with a longitudinally extended thread ed perforation, through which a screwrod 33 extends, the said screw-rod having bearings in blocks 34, mounted 011 the base 1, and one end of this screw-rod is provided with a crank At each of its lower corners the block 32 is provided with a downwardly-extended lug 30, the front one being intended to engage with the plates 30 31 and the rear one to engage with pairs of plates connecting with the resistance-coils.

The contact-block 32 maybe provided with a suitable retarding device. As here shown the retarding device consists of a spring 37, secured to the upper side of the block and adapted to bear against a bar 38, secured at its ends to upward extensions of the bearingblocks 34.

In operation, should a full light be desired, the block 32 will be moved into engagement with the contact-plates 21 and 23, which, as before stated, are in direct communication with the main lead-wires. Should it be desired to slowly lower the light, the block will be slid along to engage with the contactplates 29 and 26, which comprise the pair operated in connection with a pair of coils S and 9. The light may be regulated to still lower intensity by moving the block into e11- gagement with the plates 25 and 28, and to turn it still lower the block will be placed in connection with the plates 24 and 27.

. The whole device may be inclosed in asuitable boxing of insulating material, as indicated at 39 in Fig. 3. I have here shown the device as in connection with a single lamp, but itis obvious that the device may be made of suitable size to operate in connection with a series of lamps, which will make it very useful for regulating the foot-lights 011 a theater stage.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A. current-regulator for electric lamps and other devices, comprising pairs of resistance-coils, the resistance of one pair of coils being greater than that of another pair of coils, connections between the several coils, conductors adapted for engagement with the main lead-wires, a contact-plate for each of the coils and having connection therewith, lamp-circuit plates, and a sliding contact block adapted for engagement with said lampcircuit plates and with pairs of plates connected with the resistance-coils, substantially as specified.

2. A eurrent-regulator for electric lamps and other devices, comprising pairs of resistance-coils adapted for connection at one end with the main lead-wires, an independent contact-plate having connection with each coil, other contactplates adapted for connection with the main lead-wires, lamp-circuit plates, a contact-block adapted to close the circuit between the lamp-circuit plates and a pair of plates connecting with the coil, and a screw-rod passing through a tapped opening in said contact-block whereby the block may be moved, substantially as specified.

3. A current-regnlator for electric lamps and other devices, comprising pairs of resistance-coils, the resistance of one pair differing from that of another, means for connecting the pairs of coils with the main lead-wires, contact-plates having connection with the coils, lamp-circuit plates, a screw-operated block for closing the circuit between pairs of contact-plates an d the lamp-circuit plates, and

a retarding device on said block, substantially as specified.

\VILLIAM HAXVKER. Witnesses:

HARRY A. lnPLnn, ALBERT A. ANTHONY. 

